


Obliviously in love

by theanalyticwriter



Category: Austin & Ally
Genre: Disney Channel, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29001702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theanalyticwriter/pseuds/theanalyticwriter
Summary: A fluffy little short story about Austin and Ally! It has lots of pining and its prom themed. A slight mix up about prom dates has both Austin and Ally wondering what they mean to each other. Not based off the prom episode entirely, but it's suggestive of the episode. Extremely cheesy, don't say I didn't warn you! I also apologize for any grammar mistakes or story inconsistencies, still developing myself in terms of writing.
Relationships: Ally Dawson & Austin Moon, Ally Dawson/Austin Moon





	Obliviously in love

Ally  
Ally opened her locker absentmindedly, stacking her books on top of one another without reason or purpose. She had been like this all day- distracted. Though she didn’t want to admit it, her current inner conflict had stemmed from her practice session last night with Austin. They had been working on their latest song for a few hours, and to take a break from the new material, Ally had suggested they sing a song from Austin’s previous hit list. “How about ‘call me criminal’” he said without hesitation. His cheeks flushed as he realized how eager he sounded and he looked away, as if remembering at that exact moment all the controversy and confessionals surrounding that particular song. “…not that it needs to be that song, it just came to mind…” he trailed off. “okay sure” Ally chuckled questioningly back at him. With a beat of silence between them, Ally cleared her throat and started to play it on the piano. She played the song at a slightly slower tempo, and Austin changed the tempo of the melody to match her. The way he slowly sang out the words, and his gaze glued to the floor, sent Ally right back to that day in the courtroom. At parts, she also joined in with vocals, turning the song into a bit of a duet. The result was…. magical to say the least.   
Shaking her head, Ally tried to ground herself back in reality and out of her own memories. Stewing on what that duet really meant had been her preferred form of self-torture since her first period class, and it was now the end of the day! Glancing to her right, she saw Trish approaching, looking prepared to share something exciting. That would be a distraction that she could use right now, she thought with relief. “Guess who got a job at… Lilac’s Flower shop! I just got off the phone with lilac now, she agreed to hire me! She said she admired my ‘persistent nature’ whatever that means”. “That’s awesome Trish, now you just have to try to keep this job” Ally quipped back to her. “Listen, the real reason I wanted to work there is that now I can get us all free corsages for the prom tonight! Speaking of which… you haven’t asked anyone or been asked have you? As your best friend I deserve to know these things as soon as they happen” Trish demanded. “You can stand down Trish, I haven’t been asked, but as soon as I decide what I’m doing about prom you will be the first to know”. Ally smiled at Trish and they continued to discuss prom details, but in her mind, she was back in the practice room with Austin, wondering and maybe hoping, that the spark she felt was real, and that Austin had felt it too.

Austin  
Austin and Dez walked out of their last period English class and down the hallway, raving about a new type of cheese in a can that had been advertised all over town. “I still can’t believe there are 14 flavours of cheese you can get, and all in spray form? Pinch me because I must be dreaming” Dez continued. As interesting and fun as all this spray cheese madness had been, Austin had been faraway in all of his classes that afternoon. “Austin, you don’t seem as psyched about wheeze cheeze as I am, is everything okay buddy?” Dez asked concerned. “Yeah, I’m okay, I’ve just been mulling some things over lately…” Austin trailed off. “Oh, I know, it must be because of the prom coming up! Have you decided who you want to go with? I hear one of the cheerleaders wanted to go with you uh… Poppy Sanchez was the girl I think!”. “Oh, uh yeah, something like that, not sure of who to take or even what to wear really” Austin added. This comment threw Dez onto the topic of his tux and what patterns he wanted, as Austin had intended. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to tell Dez about how he was really feeling, but he knew he needed to figure out what exactly he was feeling first. How he was feeling with regards to his practice session with ally last night.   
That duet they sang of Call Me Criminal, and how he couldn’t look at her without his skin burning. Lately he had been drawn to her more and more, but he had a creeping insecurity that somehow, she no longer had any interest in him as anything more than a friend. As they had neared the end of the duet, he finally had the courage to look up at her face. They sang the lyric “steal your heart” acapella, and their eyes met in the way they had during their first live performance of “you can come to me”. The same night they kissed for the first time. The moment had felt so intimate, it almost seemed natural to kiss. Austin had almost leaned in, but then remembered that they were still only friends, and that their attempt at a relationship before had not gone well. Now as he thought back over that moment again and again, he wanted to kick himself for not pursuing that moment. The whole day, he had wrestled with his feelings and what he should do, and came to the startling conclusion that if he couldn’t truly tell Ally how he felt, he felt that he would be left musically crippled under the weight of his own denial. He had to tell her, that was all there was to it. He knew for sure that he needed to ask Ally to the prom, because the only person he could picture himself dancing with was her.   
Coming into the locker area, Austin spotted ally at her locker talking to Trish, and all his feelings from the other night all came flooding back in. His face heated up once again, and he quickly ran to his locker. He opened it before Ally could see his face. As he put his books down, he decided that this was it- the moment he had to ask her. Otherwise, he might not dare to be so brave again. He closed his locker with resolve, only to see the face of Poppy Sanchez behind it. 

Ally  
Ally glanced over Trish’s shoulder at the bang of a locker door, only to see that the source was none other than Austin. She instantly remembered the joy of last night, and then upon second glance, that joy was replaced with anxiety. He was talking to poppy, who was the beautiful and graceful captain of the cheerleading squad. Poppy was the kind of effortless beautiful that Ally had always envied, and watching the two of them interact, she realized how silly she had been. Austin may have had feelings for her in the past, but now she was sure that girls like Poppy were probably more likely his type anyway. Ally also reasoned that if Austin really wanted to try a romantic relationship between them again, surely, he would have asked her to prom by now. Trish must have noticed the change in Ally’s mood, because she turned around and noticed over her shoulder the scene in front of Austin’s locker. The conversation between Poppy and Austin came to an end, and Poppy walked towards them, dialing a number on her phone. As she passed them, Ally could overhear her talking to her friend on the other end, saying “You would never guess who I’m going to prom with! Austin Moon!”. 

Austin  
What did I just do, Austin thought to himself. One minute, he’s ready to march over there and ask the girl he likes to prom, and the next, he’s being asked if he currently has a date to prom. “ah… not exactly” his brain replied. “Great, well, why not go with me then?” She asked with a wink. Not wanting to hurt her feelings but unsure of what to do, Austin said “well who wouldn’t want to go with you”. This reply, while not a definitive yes, was enough for Poppy. What an idiot I am, Austin thought to himself again. “Why don’t you pick me up at 7! Here is my phone number and address. I’m so glad you said yes Austin, you’ve already made my night!”. She gave him a folded paper and a kiss on the cheek, then turned and walked away. Dumbfounded, Austin stood still and simply stared down the hall after her, watching her whip out her cell phone. He then noticed Ally and Trish looking at Poppy, and then both of them staring back at him. They must have overheard something from Poppy, Austin concluded. He examined Ally’s face, but he couldn’t read the expression on it. The only word he could describe it with would be guarded, and that was not typical of Ally at all. Austin took a step towards them, then Ally mentioned something to Trish and took off through the front doors and out into the afternoon sun. 

Ally  
After leaving the school, Ally climbed into her car and drove as fast as the law allows back to the studio. Her mind races, telling her that Austin doesn’t owe her anything but also that he was supposed to ask her. Conflicting statements, which she realizes are each coming from places of either logic or desire. Theoretically, this should not upset her. Austin is free to do what he wants, and they both agreed that being friends is less complicated and a lot easier than being in a relationship. Logically, she should have expected this. But on the other hand, after that duet last night and the way he had been acting, part of her heart really wanted something more with him. She missed him when he wasn’t around, even if it was just for a few hours. She wanted to hold him tighter and longer than anyone else when they said goodbye. Austin was more than a crush to her, he has always felt so safe, comfortable, and intrinsically good for her. The feeling of rejection and loss of that comfort slowly took over her mind, bringing her to tears. Before she knew what she was doing, she turned around in a parking lot and headed towards Trish’s house. Keeping all her sadness bottled up was never good, and she felt like Trish would understand her frustration. She would also understand why she had been distracted all day, and why she could absolutely not go to the prom. 

Austin   
Austin had been in his room for about an hour, staring up at the ceiling from his bed. He was riddled with anxiety over the choices he had made that day, or rather his lack of action, which was somehow worse. He felt like he had ruined everything, and that look on Ally’s face, it seemed like maybe she thought he was going to ask her. Maybe he was just seeing what he wanted to see, he wasn’t sure. How could he be? It occurred to him that he should talk to Dez about this, as despite their goofing off most of the time Austin knew Dez would understand the regret and confusion he was feeling. As if this thought had manifested itself, Dez burst through his bedroom door and sat in his desk chair with conviction’ “Alright Austin we have a date to get you ready for! That includes a tux, a ride and, the most important part, we have to teach you how to dance!”. Dez then pressed play on his phone and aggressive salsa music poured out. “now I know you can dance on stage, but can you salsa Austin? Or better yet, we should work on your ballroom dancing, that will impress and take less time!” Blinking a few times Austin registered what was happening and got up from his place on the bed. “Dez listen, I don’t think I actually want to go to the dance with Poppy… I may have said yes… by accident” Austin admitted sheepishly. “What? What do you mean, Poppy is perfect for you Austin! What’s going on?”. “Dez- I know this sounds so crazy and out of the blue, but I really wanted to ask Ally to the dance. Like, as more than just a friend. I don’t think I’ve ever stopped having feelings for her and honestly I couldn’t imagine going to the dance with anyone else.” Austin assessed Dez’s face, and realized that not only was there a lack of shock or dismay, but there was actually one of happiness. “YES!!!” Dez exclaimed in triumph, raising his fist into the air. Without warning he ripped off his shirt to reveal another underneath of it that read “#Auslly”. “You aren’t surprised? I didn’t even know how I felt until literally this morning” Austin said with surprise. “Of course I knew Austin, you and Ally are the OTP, everyone knows that. Or mostly everyone, besides you and Ally. So, the question is, what do we do now? Are you going to ask Ally? What do we do about Poppy?” All these questions were pretty valid, Austin realized, and he needed to act fast.   
Ally   
At Trish’s house, Ally was greeted at the door by an unexpected host. A tall and stocky man she had never met before swung the door open and stared at her. “Uh hi there… I was looking for Trish?” Nodding his head and grunting, he moved himself aside and gestured up the stairs to what ally knew to be Trish’s bedroom. She climbed the stairs and knocked at the bedroom door, still apprehensive. Trish opened her door and Ally asked “did you get a bodyguard or something?” Trish gestured her in and explained “No, that’s just my cousin Brent, he’s staying with us for a while… as you could probably tell he’s not exactly a huge talker. He’s also surprisingly just a few years older than us. Now what’s wrong?” “What do you mean”- Ally said unconvincingly, “I can’t just drop in?” “A few hours before prom with smudged mascara?” She replied knowingly. At such understanding, Ally’s pent-up feelings and uncertainty came tumbling out of her lips, to Trish’s awaiting ears. “So, what I’m hearing is, you are currently dateless while the guy you really want is going to the prom with someone else? Well first of all, you are not showing up alone. How about…” Trish paused for a moment then opened her bedroom door and hollered “BRENT?”. After a few moments Brent came in the room tentatively, and Trish somewhat threateningly explained that if he wanted to continue to stay with her family, he needed to bring Ally to prom. To be fair, Ally actually thought that was a good idea, but she didn’t necessarily feel great about someone being forced to take her anywhere. “Trish if he doesn’t want to- ““No of course he does, isn’t that right Brent?” She looked at him expectantly. Brent nodded his head and shrugged, indicating that he really could care less. “Now, the other thing is that we need to get you the most gorgeous dress we can, so that Austin can’t take his eyes off you. Let’s go get one now before the mall closes.” “Thank you so much Trish, I know this seems kind of sudden and everything, but the truth is, I don’t think I’ve ever stopped having feelings for Austin, and the last few days I’ve realized it more than ever.” “No problem Ally, I’ve always thought you two would end up together. He’s a fool for not asking you, but wait until I’m done with you. He will be regretting asking Poppy the entire night. Just let me give Dez a call to see if he has a tux figured out, because in a sad turn of events, I’ve agreed to go with him as friends.” Trish then picked up her phone and began searching for Dez in her contacts. 

Austin   
First, Austin had to call Poppy and explain. Austin pulled out his phone and just as he was about to choose Poppy’s contact, Dez got a call. “Hello? Hey Trish, yeah I know I can’t wear my tux from the clown store… Yes, I remembered you’re getting the corsages... Yes and- oh. Okay, we can meet you three at your house… okay bye”. Des put his phone away and slowly turned to Austin. “The 3 of them?” Austin said questioningly. “Yeah buddy, Trish, Ally, and Ally’s…date.” Austin starred at him for a moment, processing, and then he sat down on his floor in defeat. “I’ve really messed this up haven’t I. I didn’t even know she had a date! I should have asked her, I should have- ““Austin, you can’t blame yourself. How could you have known? I think you should go with Poppy and try to enjoy it as best you can. Ally isn’t going anywhere, and I’m sure this ship can make it through any storm!” “Thanks buddy, your horrible puns are surprisingly just what I need. But you’re right, I can’t do anything now so I’ll just try to enjoy tonight. Ally and I have been friends for such a long time, all I’ll have to do is act normal, right?” 

Ally  
Later on that night, Austin and Dez came by to pick up Trish, Ally and Brent. On the way over to the dance, they also stopped to pick up Poppy. Needless to say, it was an awkward car ride. Austin kept his gaze averted from Ally for seemingly the whole care ride. She couldn’t see much of him in the darkness of the car, and due to the fact that he was in the front row of seats in Dez’s van. Ally spent most of the ride chatting away to Trish, hoping her nerves and lack of comfort remained unnoticed. As they arrived, Austin and Dez stepped out first, and Trish and Brent got out next. Steeling herself for the night ahead, Ally opened her door and climbed out of the van. Dez and Trish had turned around to head in, while Austin and Poppy were waiting for Ally and Brent. Austin stopped to tie his shoe and Brent followed Poppy into the venue leaving them behind together. Austin stood up and seemed to take her in. Ally did the same, admiring the rose printed tux and sneakers that Austin wore. It was an outfit that screamed his name; Unique, a little casual, and gorgeous. Her heart pounded as she realized they were staring at each other, and she once again wondered what was going on inside his head. Were they friends? Were they meant to be more? He looked incredible in his tux, and that somehow made her heart ache more. She didn’t think that was possible. Austin croaked out suddenly “you look…breathtaking”. The comment itself took her own breath away, but she eventually found the strength to say “… you too”. Ally then quickly cleared her throat and began to walk ahead to the doors, Austin waiting a beat and then following swiftly behind her. 

Austin  
Here he was again, making a fool of himself and getting tongue tied. Ally looked nothing short of ethereal, in a blue tulle dress that had white lace and beading down the front. He wasn’t expecting her to look quite so incredible, and it was painfully evident in their brief exchange. Ally seemed like she was also at a loss for words, but it was probably due to how awkward he sounded. He was sure his voice even cracked a little as he spoke. He tried to put on a more composed face as he walked behind her into the dance. It seemed that acting “normal” was going to be a lot harder than he thought. He shouldn’t even be thinking of Ally, he should be more invested in the girl he actually brought with him. Still, his eyes lingered on her silhouette as she charged ahead, much less fearful and shy than the woman he first met. It just reminded him how profound his feelings for her really were, and sowed even more seeds of regret into his mind. 

Ally  
After their awkward misstep outside the dance, Ally concluded that she had one of two options here. She could shy away from him all night, try to hide her feelings and ruin her own night. That didn’t sound like a great option, so it came down to option 2; simply deciding not to care. Just because she had these feelings didn’t mean that her and Austin’s relationship wasn’t a friendship at its core. This night was never about which date she chose to bring, it was about a final glorious high school memory and an excuse to dance with all the people she loved most. Trish, Dez, and Austin. Sure, there was a depth to her feelings with Austin, but for the night she would let things be, and try to enjoy this. As she and Austin found the rest of their crew, they all started to dance to the pop song blaring through the speakers, and by the 3rd or 4th song, anyone who had been too embarrassed to do more than sway had magically transformed into dancing maniacs. They jumped, shuffled, and spun around, letting themselves go. The drama before these moments had seemed so pressing, but everything finally felt alright. At one point, Ally and Austin locked eyes, singing the song to each other as they danced. They gravitated towards each other, letting themselves dance face to face, with smiles as big as their faces could muster. It was a type of gleeful joy which they both experienced together. Suddenly, after the end of a few pop songs, a slower song- Cardigan by Taylor Swift- came over the speakers. The song startled Ally out of her euphoria, as she realized she should in fact be with her date. She quickly went from facing Austin to facing Brent, who had been silently nodding his head to the beat nearby. Austin would most likely want to dance with his actual date, so why would she not dance with hers? She took a deep breath and grabbed Brent’s hands, separating them both from their friend cluster. She faced him and started to sway, her mind inevitably drifting to Austin. 

Austin  
Austin’s prom had ended up being a lot of fun. A fantastic sound track, his close group of friends, lowered inhibitions, and- most importantly- Ally. She was there with him, they shared the dance floor together, and he felt on top of the world. Like he could do anything. When Cardigan came over the speakers, being the first slow song, it was like the magic spell over them had been broken. He remembered then that he actually had a date he should be with, and that he had basically ignored her all night. As Ally turned towards Brent, Austin Looked for Poppy, who had drifted to the edge of their little friend group. He walked towards her, and she slipped her arms around his neck. They swayed to the music, and as he glanced over her shoulder, he met eyes with Ally. They shared another moment, this one he was sure was tinged with pain, and then they both blushingly looked away. Austin then had a realization that his actions tonight had probably not been very kind to Poppy. He looked down to her face, and she seemed a little void of the joys he was so recently filled with. He decided in that moment that he had to tell her the truth, and apologize for his absent mind and heart. As the song continued to play, he brought Poppy to the side of the dance floor. “Poppy, I just want to clear some things up with you because I know I haven’t been treating you like you deserve to be treated on a night like this. The truth is-” “You’re into Ally” she finished for him. Taken aback, his mouth gaped open, and he suddenly became horrified. “I-is it that obvious? Oh my God I am beyond sorry, I never meant to treat you this way. You were very brave and forward about asking me to the dance and I couldn’t find the words to say no and I didn’t even ask Ally because well it’s complicated but-” he was stopped by Poppy’s hand on his arm. “Listen Austin, I am glad I got to come with you tonight, but truth be told, I have other options for dance partners. Sure, I think you’re cute, but I want someone who will look at me the way you look at her. So, no hard feelings, but if you want an outside perspective? Go tell this girl how you truly feel. It may have been obvious to me, but I can’t decide who is more oblivious; you or Ally” she chuckled. With that, Poppy walked away, off to find another dance partner. As for Austin, he went off to find Ally. 

Ally  
Ally awakened from her deep pondering in sharp pain, as somehow Brent managed to put all his weight onto her foot. As she steps back in pain, Brent winces and mumbles a sorry to her under his breath. A little flustered, and dealing with emotional whiplash, Ally excuses herself to the side of the dance floor to sit for a minute. Brent runs off to get drinks, leaving her to her thoughts. What did all this mean? Was Austin truly interested in her, or was she reading the signals wrong. And even if he were interested, then why would he ask another girl to the prom? She had so many unanswered questions, and they took up more space in her mind than she had to give. A tap on her shoulder shakes her out of her stupor, and she looks up to find Trish’s concerned gaze. “Everything okay?” she asks earnestly. “Honestly, I can’t get Austin out of my mind. While we were dancing as a group I felt fine, but watching him dance with Poppy just… has my mind in all sorts of knots”. “I have a bit of info that may help with that… I was talking to Dez about what he and Austin got up to this afternoon and well, he accidentally divulged to me that Austin was not intending on asking Poppy to the prom. He was going to ask you! He just got into a dumb misunderstanding with her, and then kept her as his date when he found out you also had someone to bring to the prom.” Ally stared at Trish for a moment, processing. “So… this whole time we were just- trying to prove something to each other?” Ally laughed, finding the irony in the situation. She stood with conviction and then stated “I’m going to clear this up once and for all”. With an excited smile, Trish gracefully stepped out of the way and with that Ally walked back into the sea of people and the thrum of another energized pop song. 

Both  
As Austin and ally spot each other in the center of the room, the end of the last song sparks a song and lighting change. Pink and red lights dance off the walls and the first notes of Lover by Taylor Swift are heard throughout the dance hall. Couples pair up and separate from their groups, leaving Austin and Ally isolated together. They timidly approach each other, wondering respectively if their feelings will be reciprocated. Austin speaks first, his eyes meeting Ally’s without shame or confusion. “Ally… I didn’t want to come here with Poppy tonight. I wanted to be here with you. Not just as friends, but as more. The honest truth is that you still drive me crazy. I can’t stop thinking about you. And I am so sorry to drop this on you, because I know that the last time we tried this it didn’t necessarily work out but Ally… you are my entire world, and I will never not need you in my life.” A static silence hangs in the space between them, punctuated by the song playing around them. Ally then approaches him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I know” she says simply. “Trish apparently interrogated Dez on the subject actually, so I figured that I better clear up this misunderstanding. The only reason I brought Brent was so that I didn’t show up without a date. I was also planning on asking you to prom. Brent is Trish’s cousin!” She says with a little mischief. “And for the record”- she continues- “I also happen to feel the same way about you. The honest truth? Is that I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for that young Austin moon that stole my song. I think I’ve always been in love with you-” Ally stopped herself there in the realization of what she had just admitted. “Did you just say you’re in love with me?” He echoed. “Um, well yes I did.” She answered with a dark blush across her cheeks. She looked away from his face in embarrassment. She feels his fingers tenderly around her chin, and he gently pulls her gaze back towards him. “Funny… I wanted to say that first.” With a charged look between them, Ally leaned in and kisses him with all the passion and wanting she had been withholding. They lean into each other, and then their kiss turns into an embrace that is both comforting and final. To both of them, it feels like they are finally home.


End file.
